~~OO~~II~~OO~~

((No Such Thing as a Paradox: Part III))

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

The Doctor was definitely going to kill me. It didn't matter how it had happened or why, he would send me back to England, where I'd have nowhere to stay, no matter how much I apologized. I moaned quietly in frustration to myself. Stupid police box.

Little Ali grinned, giggling wildly as Ryss caught her and tackled her to the ground. A massive tickling war broke out, ending with both little James and Ali pinning Ryss to the ground. She tried to roll away but they worked together to keep her down, wildly tickling the screeching girl.

Curious, I glanced up and down the streeth. But nobody but me and the children were there. I refused to acknowledge the little girl as myself, it was just too weird. But I recognized her and admitted she was. Just didn't mean I had to say it aloud. Wouldn't anyone have heard them screaming, the attack that was going to happen?

But nobody came out, nobody at all. I bit my lip. This was strange.

"Okay, okay," laughed Ryss. "I give up! I give up!" She grinned when James and Ali let her up. James beamed broadly and she reached over to ruffle the hair that was the same shade as hers. "Come on, kids, I'm going inside for a sec to see if the cookies are done." Damn that girl, it was always her weakness. "Want to check and see if Mom's done yet?"

James blubbered, "Want stay here."

Ali nodded her agreement, throwing an arm around the brother that was two years younger than herself. "I'm gonna stay with James. You go see and then we can play hide and seek!" James eagerly clapped his hands together, eyes lighting up. "Go on, Ryss, we're perfectly fine here. I promise we won't start without you."

"You better not," Ryss said firmly before slipping into the house.

I watched as my younger self began to play quietly with James, waiting for their elder sister to come out. My heart broke. Total chaos would happen soon, and my younger self would find herself alone among the remains of a burning home, of a place that now broke my heart. Soon, she would be shipped off to Mandy and Michael.

Soon, her family would be dead.

I bit back a whimper. I didn't want to see this, not anymore, I already saw it every night in my dreams. It always ended the same way: with everyone but me dead. Always. I stuffed my fist in my mouth, biting down as the first explosion sounded, a cloud of debris and dust rising from the back of the house.

Ali froze, her eyes rounding with shock as the first strange sound filled the air. James glanced between her and the house. "'Li? What wrong?"

She shrugged, nervously biting her lip. "I don't know," she admitted, standing. He scrambled up beside her. "Come on, James, let's...let's go inside now-" She was interrupted a scream pierced the air, another strange sound as well. Her face went pale when another explosion rocked the house, flames bursting into the air, shattering the kitchen windows. Ali gave a confused cry, covering her face.

Suddenly, Ryss came flying out of the house, screaming, "RUN!"

I bit back a sob when a beam of light struck her and she crumpled, going still. "Stop," I whispered, pleading silently for the damn police box to rescue me.

But the fear was replaced in an instant by confusion when a strange metal creature appeared, easily...hovering over the grass. A bronze-golden color, it turned its strange eyestalk onto James. It paused, and then one of the arms it had twisted and shot another beam of light.

Down went my brother.

The younger me screamed, scrambling backwards as it turned on her. Against my will, my feet surged forward. I darted forward, throwing my arms around my younger self, ignoring the warnings that the Doctor had given me about paradoxes.

Even as I sent her sprawling, the memories filled me.

Warm arms wrapped around me, shoving me behind their owner, protecting me.

I scowled, doing just that after I'd dragged her to her feet. I pushed her behind me. I straightened, glaring darkly at the creature. Behind me, the younger version sobbed, tears rolling down her face as she clutched my jacket. I snapped the keychain from my belt loop, warningly pointing it at the metal creature, which had stopped, focused on me. "You can try," I said coldly, my voice not even shaking. I felt a flash of pride for myself. "But you will not get to her. She is the Successor, just as I am. Do you want to die?"

It was silent, and then it shrieked, "YOU SHALL NOT INTERFERE!"

I scowled, pointing the sonic screwdriver. "You see this? The Doctor gave this to me." It didn't need to know that it was really the TARDIS who'd given it to me. "You're messing with the wrong people."

It seemed to study me. And then it screeched, "YOU ARE THE SUCCESSOR."

I watched as the lights atop its head flashed along with its words, then gave a cocky smile, placing my free hand on my hip. Ali whimpered behind me and I glanced at her reassuringly. I remembered all of this as it happened. And silently, I knew that this was what had always happened, I had just forgotten. "Yep," I replied, popping the 'p'. "Got a problem with it? What are you anyway?"

"I AM A DALEK. YOU ARE THE SUCCESSOR. CANNOT KILL THE SUCCESSOR."

"Damn right you can't," I snapped. Daleks, huh? The Doctor had mentioned them somewhere, I'd have to ask him about it. I pressed the button on the sonic keychain and the Dalek froze before suddenly tipping over, dead. A moment and a flash of light later, it was gone. I glared at where it had been for a few moments, then turned to Ali with a smile. So strange being this close to myself. I crouched, stroking her hair when she threw her arms around me, sobbing. "Hush," I soothed. "I know it seems terrible now, but...it gets better." I swallowed. "Trust me, little one." I tightened my grip, tears beginning to form in my own eyes and stream down my own cheeks.

She sobbed again. "Are they okay?! Will they get up soon?!"

My heart broke all over again and I swallowed thickly. "I...oh, I can't answer that, you'll...you'll have to wait and..." I trailed off from the broken sentence as a familiar sound filled my ears.

Oh now the TARDIS came back.

I curled a lip. Stupid time machine. I pointed at the air, pulling back. "You hear that, little one?" She nodded, her gray eyes meeting mine and widening when she realized just what I knew she would: that we had the same eyes. I smiled sweetly. "That is the sound of hope. Hope for a lot of people and species. It will become what saves you, even destroys you." I paused. "When you grow up, you will have tons of adventures with a wonderful man called the Doctor. You will fight with him, you may get left behind, but they will be wonderful. Now, sleep," I murmured, kissing her forehead. Automatically, her eyes drooped. To speed up the process, I raised my sonic keychain and pressed the button, trusting it.

She passed out, fast asleep as I'd hoped. She would forget everything I had just told her and more, but I knew as well as anyone that she would dream the dreams I had when I was little, when I had told Mandy of them.

I gently set my younger self on the ground, then wiped at my eyes. Then I stroked the hair out of her face, grimacing when I heard the doors of the TARDIS open. Only a few moments later, a warm body pressed against my leg and I glanced over at Clave, who purred quietly in reassurance. I stroked his head, then stood with a sigh. Time to face the music. I turned, only to freeze in confusion.

Instead of the Doctor waiting at the doors with a pissed off look, it was a saddened looking Proffessor. Sirens filled the air and people began to appear. She tilted her head towards the TARDIS, slipping inside. I sighed, scooping up Clave and darting for it.

Maybe this would be a little bit different then how I had imagined it turning out.

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

I watched silently as Proffessor hurried around the controls, putting the time machine into the time vortex so that we could speak. The TARDIS mumbled apologies to me, but I ignored her, instead stroking Clave's head and watching as he purred happily in my lap. A faint smile spread across my face. My precious pet. Hopefully when the Doctor heard what happened, he'd let me keep Clave.

Finally, Proffessor turned to me, her eyes gentle. "Ali."

"Proffessor."

"Please," she said, her eyse warm with affection. "Call me River. It's much nicer than calling me something that I really wasn't." I nodded and she sighed softly, pulilng out that strange book of hers. She began flipping through it and I rolled my eyes.

"Really, you have no need of searching through it when you should just ask where I am in my life. I'm at the point where I know my fate and I just got dumped in my own timestream by a certain time machine." I grimaced, then muttered, "Sorry, don't mean to be rude. Just...stressed out."

"I can see why." River snapped her book shut. Her eyes softened. "I'm sorry that it has to be you."

I snorted. "I've gotten over it. As long as the Doctor doesn't find out until he has to, I don't care anymore." I bit my lip. I didn't mean that. Of course it mattered, it would always matter. "Where's the Doctor? I would've thought he'd be chewing me out by now."

River threw her head back and laughed. "The TARDIS appears to have dropped you off and then came to me rather than gone after the Doctor. I think that the old girl is just as mad at him as you and I are."

I blinked in surprise, glancing at her. "You mean you know what's happened? I know you keep track of things, but I didn't think-"

"That I kept track of everything?" River said teasingly. She smiled. "Sorry, sweetie, I didn't know. The TARDIS told me everything through Gallifreyan on that screen of hers."

Huh. "I still can't read it," I complained. "When she's mad, she gets annoying and won't change it back to English."

River chuckled, folding her hands together. "Now. Why don't you tell me about what's been happening? What just happened that you were so upset over?"

I pursed my lips, then unhappily admitted, "She made me watch my family die all over again. I...the damn time machine made me watch my family die again. And then I kind of stepped in." I flinched, waiting for the yelling, but all she did was give me an astonished look before flying to the controls.

"That's not good," she murmured, "Not good at all, let me make a few quick scans..." A few minutes later, she shoved her hand through her thick mass of hair. "How?! You clearly touched...then again," she sighed in defeat, "You are the Successor."

Well that explained everything, didn't it? I thought with a huff of annoyance. I crossed my arms. "Good to know." I paused, then buried my face in my hands. "The Doctor's going to kill me," I whispered as Clave nuzzled my cheek.

River patted my back after pressing some coordinates in and moving over. "Come now," she soothed, pulling me to my feet. "I'll deal with him, you go relax in your room, yes?"
I pursed my lips. "Alright," I finally agreed, guilt filling me. It wasn't right to make River tell him. I should be the one explaining my mistakes and apologizing. But I was at my limit. I was tired of it all. I had met with the next Doctor, been yelled at, dropped off to watch my family fight and deal with a Dalek, and then would have to deal with the Doctor some more.

I would need a nap before I did anything else.

Which of course failed epically when half an hour later I found myself absent mindedly laying down in the darkness of my room, watching planets spin around above my head while Clave purred quietly and let me pet him with his head on my chest. One planet seemed to fall for a moment and I caught it, tossing it back up so that it returned to its normal orbit. I'd have to figure otu how to fix those later.

"My Girl, my Thief approaches," the TARDIS said suddenly, quiet. She sounded not only exhausted, but guilty. Good, let her feel guilty. I didn't want to see my family die again. It wasn't fair.

A thought struck me.

If the TARDIS hadn't chosen me, they wouldn't have died.

That Dalek had been after me specifically.

That thought had me moaning in frustration and grief. "Damn you," I whispered. I received no response except for a quiet knocking on my door. I sighed, drawing a hand over my face as I set Clave aside, sitting up. "C'mon in," I mumbled. The door swung open.

Not to my surprise, the Doctor ducked into the room. I glanced tiredly at him, then raised an eyebrow when he waved me off to the side. I moved over on the bed, making room for him, and Clave did the same, allowing him to slide onto the bed beside me. After a few moments of silence, I pinched the bridge of my nose, rasping, "Aren't you going to yell at me? I ran off, got sent back in time, and even touched another version of myself. Why no yelling yet?"

"River said," he started, speaking slowly, and I flinched in preparation. "That the TARDIS made you watch your family die again."

I snorted. "Yep," I mumbled, "That's what happened. So you can start yelling at me now, you're worrying me."

He looked at me with utter astonishment. "You had to watch people die. Why would I yell at you after that? They're family, too." He rolled his eyes, pulling out his sonic screwdriver and messing with it, something he did whenever he was nervous. That interested me.

"So I'm not going to get yelled at?" I questioned warily. He shook his head in confirmation and I relaxed, flopping back onto my bed beside him. "Do you realize that I've been waiting to get kicked off of the TARDIS for nearly half an hour?"

The Doctor chuckled, glancing at me. "I promised I wouldn't kick you out. You're not going anywhere."

I smiled in response, watching the planets again. "Yeah, guess you did. River's promised to smack you form me if you do though, and Clave will hunt you down." Clave hissed his agreement to this.

As I watched the ceiling, it suddenly began to change. I blinked as the white ceiling became a roof of stars over head. My eyes widened in surprise and I pursed my lips. The TARDIS' version of an apology. Damn her and her amazingness. She was forgiven. The Doctor glanced up, then grinned. "Hm...sees she thinks you need a change of scenery."

"Her apolgoy," I said simply. "I accepted." My eyes gleamed with amusement for a moment and I sighed, throwing an arm over my face as I mumbled, "This is horrible. I'm sorry I thought you would kick me out."

He sighed in response. "You have no need to say that. Well," he paused, "I do appreciate it. And hope that you don't think such things again."

I grinned in response, removing my arm and tugging him down beside me. Hey, just 'cause I didn't have a romantic relationship with him didn't mean I couldn't enjoy his company. He seemed surprised and confused for a brief moment before I flushed in embarassment and muttered, "Don't wanna be alone," under my breath. Then he smiled gently, relaxing and peering up at the "stars" above us, which seemed to move as we watched.

"Hm...that's where we are now." I blinked as the Doctor broke the silence that had fallen. I rolled my head to the side to look at him in confusion. He grinned, peeking at me out of the corner of his eye before nodding, pointing up at the stars above us. I followed where he was indicating and gave a faint smile at his attempts.

"Oh?" I replied, hesitantly teasingly. He grinned. "Then where's Canziar?"

He waved at another spot and we both fell into a comfortable moment, each enjoying the other's company as I questioned him and he pointed out stars. It had been a while since we'd done such things, I realized, and after a moment, even Clave joined in, curling up between the two of us. After a while, he began to teach me where other places were, where places he said he'd take me were.

A flash of guilt interrupted my happiness.

So many places.

How could we fit them in before I was gone?

The idea was gone just as soon as it filled my mind, because the Doctor distracted me, playfully ruffling my hair from where he lyed. I grinned, in return swatting his hand away. "Do you mind?" I playfully whined. "I work hard to fix up my hair, unlike you, who just has to do this weird whatever you do."

The Doctor smirked, pulling his hand back. "I don't know what you're talking about," he retorted with the smuggest grin I'd ever seen on his face.

"Stupid," I huffed, then sputtered when Clave joined in with the banter, licking my face. "Oh, gross, Clave!" He blinked innocently at me, purring as he scrambled away, the Doctor laughing.

Damn me and my luck. I didn't want to leave him alone, never to see him again. Then again, I don't think anybody wanted to leave him alone. We all had to in the end.

"He won't be alone, my Girl," the TARDIS whispered, and I scowled at her voice. "You will be here, just not where he can see you."

He won't know that I'm here, I thought, pursing my lips with a sigh as I got comfortable again. He'll think I'm dead, gone for good. Never to be seen again.

"Work hard and it will be different."

Just what the hell did that mean?

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

"Thank you for your help," I told River gratefully as the TARDIS hummed quietly, tired. I felt her. I was exhausted after the day I had gone through. I cleared my throat, forcing a smile onto my face. "For explaining and stuff."

River smiled sweetly and now that I wasn't waiting for having to find a new home, I wanted to scream. Could she not find a way to tame that hair?

"You and I need to have a talk," the Doctor said bluntly, "She mentioned things but I'd like to discuss why there was a Dalek after you."

I pouted. Wonderful. Just great. I didn't want to have that stupid talk of his. River snorted in amusement. She glanced at the Doctor, her eyes losing their amusement as she said softly, "Becareful, Doctor, there are some things that you will not be happy with but have to happen. Ali knows." Damn that woman! "Good luck you two!" She ducked out of the TARDIS.

"Now," the Doctor said after moving the TARDIS into the time vortex again. I groaned, flopping into the captain's seat. Clave purred with an amused look, and the Doctor smiled for a moment before becoming serious. "How, exactly, did you kill a Dalek?"

I tossed my sonic keychain at him, deciding to not try explaining. "The TARDIS gave me that. I just pressed the button and it worked."

He caught my keychain, examining it before sighing, shaking his head and tossing it back. I caught it, returning it to my belt loop,and then swatted Clave away when he tried to swat at it. "Stop that," he scolded. "Okay, any more questions?"

"You're hiding something. What is it?"

I tensed. "I'm not hiding something," I gritted out, the lie making me guilty. I'm sorry, I thought to myself, biting my lip.

"You are, I can tell," he replied, raising an eyebrow. Jeez, he's like a puppy that you just can't smack. "Now what are you hiding?"

I shook my head, insisting, "Nothing important, I promise." Like my death isn't important... "Don't worry about it, I'll tell ya eventually, Doctor, I swear." When I'm dead.

He studied me for a few moments. "Fine," He sighed, shaking his head. "But you'll need to tell me, do you understand? I don't want to have to find another companion because you wouldn't tell me what's going on, Ali."

I looked away as he began to mess with the coordinates on the TARDIS.

That was exactly what he was going to end up doing.

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ;)

Maren the fangirl: Thank you! I hope this wasn't too long a wait?

BrainStormer: lol XD I purposely am having the Doctor be so upset with her all the time. ;) Have no worries, it'll all be resolved.